From Point A to Point B

I like living in Washington, DC, because it is a walking city that thrives on public transportation. It is ironic though because I feel that I have a love and hate relationship with the WMATA (Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority).

I appreciate that it can save me time getting from Point A to Point B and that I can do most anything I need without a car. However, I don't appreciate that it can be expensive and also terribly unpredictable. And actually since it is on a radial system, it is quite annoying, because it can take a lot longer to get places since you have to go in towards the city just to transfer lines. Oh I miss Paris!

Looking on the bright side--the optimist that I am--I do suppose that the unreliable timing can make for quite the adventure. And so...here's the little travelogue of today's adventure:

Today I got on the phone right after work and talked to my sister until I reached Farragut North Station. Since her and I were still conversing when I reached the station, I decided to walk up to Dupont Circle and get on there. By then we were finished talking and I went down into the station. I found hundreds of people on the platform waiting for a train.

this is just one terrible view (sorry the pics are blurry)

When the train finally arrived, it was already packed. Bah! Only about a third of the people on the platform made it into the cars--if that. I gave up and exited the station. I decided to venture away from the underground system and find my way home by foot and/or bus. I walked and walked and walked up Massachusetts Avenue past a whole lot of embassies until I found a bus on Wisconsin Avenue that could take me up to Friendship Heights. This was a transfer point so I could head towards home on a different bus. From Friendship Heights, I took a bus up to the Bethesda Station. From there, I hopped on the train in a car that was uncrowded and had good air conditioning. I was able to take that train to my station without any trouble and arrived safely at home around 8:15 pm.

The whole adventure lasted about two and a half hours from the time I left work to the time I arrived home. It only took walking about 3.5 miles, three metro stations, two buses and one metrorail car. I had actually never walked up that far on Massachusetts before. I had also never been so lucky to take a random bus that took me to a place where I wanted to go. I tend to be impulsive, so I often find myself hopping on the wrong bus when I'm tired of waiting for mine. This time it worked to my advantage and got me to the right place.

Public transportation is still my friend. But it's a dang annoying one! I miss living in the district and being able to walk to work. Hopefully I'll be back down there soon!

beck